Prohibit trading on Christmas Day in certain cases; and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Large shops not to open on Christmas Day.

1. - (1) Subject to subsection (2) below, a large shop shall not be open on Christmas Day for the serving of retail customers.

(2) Subsection (1) above does not apply in relation to-

(a) any of the shops mentioned in paragraph 3(1) of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act (restrictions on Sunday opening of large shops), or

(b) any shop in respect of which a notice under paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 2 to the 1994 Act (shops occupied by persons observing the Jewish Sabbath) has effect.

(3) If subsection (1) above is contravened in relation to a shop, the occupier of the shop shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50,000.

(4) The Schedule to this Act shall have effect.

Consequential amendments.

2. - (1) Paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act (large shops not to open on Sunday except in accordance with notice to local authority) is amended as follows.

(2) In sub-paragraph (4), the words "or Christmas Day" are omitted.

(3) After that sub-paragraph there is inserted-

"(5) Nothing in this paragraph applies where the Sunday is Christmas Day.".

Interpretation.

3. - (1) In this Act-

"local authority" has the meaning given by section 8 of the 1994 Act;

"the 1994 Act" means the Sunday Trading Act 1994;

"large shop" has the meaning given by paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act, except that the definition of "relevant floor area" in that paragraph has effect for the purposes of this Act as if the reference to the week ending with the Sunday in question were a reference to the period of seven days ending with the Christmas Day in question;

"retail customers" and "shop" have the meaning given by paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act.

(2) Paragraph 3(2) of Schedule 1 to the 1994 Act has effect for the purposes of section 1(2)(a) above as if-

(a) the reference to weekdays were a reference to days of the year other than Christmas Day, and

(b) the reference to Sunday were a reference to Christmas Day.

Expenses.

4. There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any increase attributable to this Act in the sums so payable under any other Act.

Short title, commencement and extent.

5. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2001.

(2) This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument appoint.